Raymond Pai is a Lecturer and Director of the Cantonese Language Program at the University of British Columbia (UBC), within the Department of Asian Studies under the Faculty of Arts . He is also a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)-funded PhD candidate in UBC's Department of Language and Literacy Education . Education: MA in Linguistics, Brigham Young University Research and Teaching Focus : Raymond's work centers on heritage language education , language ideology , learner identity , language technology and testing , and popular culture in language education . His research spans curriculum design for Cantonese as a foreign language, CEFR-aligned proficiency testing, and the use of ultrasound technology for pronunciation instruction. Grant and Collaborations : Funded by SSHRC, he collaborates with community organizations and institutions like the Burnaby Village Museum and Urban Bounty on projects about Chinese Canadian history and food security. He also serves as a Cantonese examiner for the University of Arizona and a certified examiner for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) .
Chris Chang-Bacon is an Assistant Professor in the Curriculum, Instruction & Special Education department at the University of Virginia's School of Education and Human Development. He holds a Ph.D. from Boston College (2019), an M.Ed. from Boston University (2014), and a B.A. from Gustavus Adolphus College (2007). His research focuses on disrupting racial and linguistic biases in multilingual education, with particular attention to equity in ESL, dual-language, and bilingual programs. He has advised equity initiatives in Boston Public Schools and leads the UVA Equity Center's educational initiatives. His scholarship addresses language ideologies in teacher education, critical literacy, and anti-oppressive pedagogy. Key areas include translanguaging practices, deficit discourse disruption, and advocacy training for educators. Chang-Bacon has consulted on linguistically inclusive K-12 textbooks and collaborates with publishers to enhance accessibility. Chang-Bacon has secured grants from the Spencer Foundation, NCTE, and the International Research Foundation for English Language Education. His work appears in top journals like TESOL Quarterly and Journal of Teacher Education . He serves on editorial boards for Linguistics and Education and the American Educational Research Journal . Notable awards include the 2022 James E. Alatis Prize and 2023 UVA All-University Teaching Award. He directs the Simulation Lab and contributes to the Race and Public Education in the South initiative. His teaching emphasizes advocacy skill development and critical reflection on systemic inequities.
Benjamin Wang serves as a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Education at Occidental College, appointed in 2021. He holds a B.A. from Nanjing University and M.A./Ph.D. degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles. His educational background: B.A., Nanjing University M.A. and Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles Dr. Wang's research spans second language acquisition, early-stage language development, bilingual education, literacy/biliteracy development, and language education policy. He actively translates these interests into community-based literacy initiatives, emphasizing practical applications for both college students and elementary-aged children in bilingual contexts. He is the author of the bestselling early childhood education book Don't Say You Know Child English Acquisition (Beijing, 2015). His teaching includes language education politics and pedagogy, first/second language acquisition theories, and community-based Spanish/Mandarin literacy courses. No scientific awards or research grants are documented, but Dr. Wang maintains active mentorship of Occidental College students and community children in literacy development programs. No laboratories, research teams, or formal graduate advisees are referenced in available materials.
Edward Olivos is a Professor and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in the College of Education at the University of Oregon. His academic appointments span multiple departments including Critical and Sociocultural Studies in Education, Curriculum & Teaching, Curriculum and Teacher Education, Educational Foundations, IRES, and Latinx studies. Dr. Olivos earned his PhD in Education from San Diego State University in 2003, following an MA (1997) and BA (1991) in Spanish from the same institution. Before pursuing academia, he served as an elementary school teacher in San Diego for over ten years. Professor Olivos specializes in bilingual education and bicultural parent involvement, with research focusing on the relationship between bicultural parents and schools as well as the development of bilingual educators. His work critically examines how schools engage with Latino families and communities, challenging deficit perspectives and advocating for transformative educational practices that honor cultural and linguistic diversity. He has published extensively on policy studies, school reform, parent participation, critical pedagogy, teacher credentialing, and biliteracy issues in K-12 classrooms. His scholarly output reveals a consistent focus on educational equity for Latino students and families, particularly through dual language education programs. Olivos' research demonstrates how bicultural parents navigate school systems, often challenging institutional inertia to advocate for biliteracy and culturally responsive education. His work bridges theory and practice, offering frameworks for authentic engagement that move beyond traditional notions of parent involvement toward genuine partnership and shared decision-making. 2012 American Educational Studies Association Critics Choice Book Award for "Bicultural parent engagement: Operationalizing advocacy and empowerment" As Principal Investigator and Director of the Education Leaders for Oregon English Learners (ELOEL) grant, a 5-year $3 million project, Professor Olivos has created an online ESOL endorsement pathway for Oregon teachers. This significant grant work demonstrates his commitment to developing bilingual educators who can effectively serve English learners across the state. His research and grant activities consistently focus on building capacity within educational systems to better serve linguistically diverse students and their families. Professor Olivos' work is deeply connected to community-based initiatives, particularly those led by bicultural parents themselves. His research often documents and analyzes parent-led movements that challenge traditional school structures to create more equitable educational opportunities for Latino students. Through his publications and grant work, he has established himself as a leading scholar in the field of bilingual education and parent-school relationships.
María G. Leija is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), specializing in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. She holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on Bilingual/Bicultural Education from The University of Texas at Austin. Current affiliation: Assistant Professor, UTSA College of Education and Human Development Education: Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, UT Austin Her research emphasizes culturally sustaining biliteracies, community cultural wealth, and critically conscious teacher education. She works to prepare pre-service and in-service educators for multicultural and cross-national contexts, drawing on her 20+ years of experience as a bilingual teacher and supervisor in Texas, Idaho, and Oregon. Honors and Awards 2025 Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award, UTSA Graduate School 2025 Teaching Excellence Award Nominee 2021 Early Career Reviewer Award, Bilingual Research Journal 2021-2023 Professional Dyads and Culturally Relevant Teaching (PDCRT), National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) 2018-2020 Cultivating New Voices Among Scholars of Color (CNV) Fellow, NCTE Dr. Leija has served as a graduate mentor and university instructor, contributing to teacher education programs. Her work bridges pedagogical innovation with equity-focused practices in bilingual and multicultural education.
Francisco José Lorenzo Bergillos is a Professor at Universidad Pablo de Olavide in the Department of Philology and Translation . His research focuses on Bilingual Education , Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) , and Language Policy , with significant work on Second Language Acquisition and Historical Literacy . He has published extensively on bilingual program implementation in monolingual regions, particularly in Andalusia, Spain. His scholarly work examines the interdependence of language and content in CLIL, disciplinary literacies across Europe, and the role of connectives in L2 academic writing . Using computational tools like Coh-Metrix, he has tracked longitudinal language development in bilingual history education. His research also addresses equity in bilingual systems and policy adaptation to regional contexts. Key trends in his publications include empirical validation of CLIL effectiveness, analysis of cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP) , and critiques of one-size-fits-all educational models . He emphasizes the need for complex research frameworks in bilingual studies and has contributed to debates on language integration strategies in non-traditional contexts.
Rakel Österberg is an Associate Professor in Spanish Linguistics at Stockholm University's Department of Romance Studies and Classics. Her work focuses on second language acquisition, academic writing, and heritage language education for Romance languages, particularly Spanish. She collaborates internationally through research groups like RomSLA (Romance Languages and Second Language Acquisition) and previously worked on the TAL project examining foreign language education alignment in Swedish schools. Research Themes: Syntax in native/non-native speech, multilingual writing development, heritage language biliteracy Teaching: Supervises bachelor and master's theses, teaches SLA, Spanish grammar, academic writing, and language education Key Collaborations: Works with Dr. Lars Fant (SU) on high-proficiency L2 syntax, co-authored projects with Dr. Alejandra Donoso (Linnaeus University) and Dr. Enrique Sologuren (Universidad de los Andes, Chile) Recent publications analyze syntactic peripheries in Romance languages, multilingual academic writing, and heritage language maintainence. She co-organized international workshops on Spanish heritage language in Sweden (2014, 2019) and contributes to shaping language education policy through the TAL project's findings. Contact: rakel.osterberg@su.se | ORCID: 0000-0002-6125-4755
Laura Kelly is an Associate Professor of Educational Studies at Rhodes College, specializing in elementary literacy and ESL/bilingual education. Her work focuses on culturally and linguistically diverse educational contexts, with particular attention to urban education policy, immigration, and Latinx children's literature. She previously served as a K-12 classroom teacher for eight years and holds National Board Certification in Early to Middle Childhood Reading and Language Arts. Dr. Kelly’s research emphasizes biliteracy development, translanguaging practices, and culturally informed pedagogy. She leads the Childhood Biliteracy Research Collaborative, engaging students in community-based literacy projects. Her teaching portfolio includes courses like Urban Education Policy, Education & Immigration, and Latinx Children's Literature. Her scholarship critically examines the impact of political policies such as 'critical race theory' bans on elementary education, advocating for inclusive curricula that honor student diversity. She has published extensively on topics ranging from bilingual book analysis to translanguaging in community spaces. Education: Doctorate in Learning, Literacies, and Technologies from Arizona State University Awards: National Board Certification (Early to Middle Childhood Reading/Language Arts) Labs/Teams: Childhood Biliteracy Research Collaborative
Makiko Ikegami is Professor at Waseda University’s Graduate School of Japanese Applied Linguistics and a concurrent researcher at the Center for Japanese Language. Holding an M.A. in Japanese Language and Culture from Ochanomizu University, she has spent over two decades leading large-scale JSPS projects on how children—bilingual, deaf, or immigrant—acquire Japanese literacy. She is vice-editor of several practical JSL textbooks and a board member of the Intercultural Education Society and the Japanese Language Education Association. Education: Tsuda College, Faculty of Arts and Science (B.A.) Ochanomizu University, M.A. in Japanese Language and Culture Research focus: Ikegami’s work integrates longitudinal fieldwork, digital assessment tools (ATLAN and a web-based multi-layer composition analyzer), and classroom ethnography to clarify how diverse young learners develop Japanese reading/writing. Her findings feed directly into teacher-training workshops, JSL curriculum design, and policy briefs for local boards of education. Publications trend: Her recent articles cluster around three themes: (1) municipal-level support systems for foreign pupils, (2) developmental patterns of biliteracy in German-Japanese and Chinese-Japanese children, and (3) instructional strategies that fuse language scaffolding with subject-matter learning—especially mathematics. Grants & awards: She has continuously held JSPS Kaken-hi grants since 2008, totaling nine principal-investigator projects that developed assessment instruments, bilingual curricula, and nationwide teacher networks. No competitive awards or medals are explicitly listed. Teaching & supervision: At Waseda she offers a full cycle of graduate courses—introductory seminars, research methodology, practical teaching practicums, and both Master’s and Doctoral supervision—devoted to Japanese applied linguistics and plurilingual education. Labs & teams: She leads the “Collaborative Practical Research” group that links elementary schools in Sumida, Hamamatsu, Ota and overseas supplementary schools to refine JSL lesson study and open-access teaching resources.
Lauren Vega O'Neil serves as Assistant Professor of Practice in Curriculum & Instruction at Portland State University's College of Education, leveraging over 20 years of experience as a Chicana educator specializing in early and middle childhood development across diverse socioeconomic contexts. Her academic credentials include: BS in Biology from Saint Mary’s College MEd in Elementary Education from University of Notre Dame PhD in Cognitive Developmental Psychology from University of Oregon Dr. Vega O'Neil's research examines neural systems underlying language, attention, and learning with emphasis on self-regulation and culturally-sustaining practices. Her work integrates cognitive developmental science with classroom applications to advance equity for linguistically diverse students and communities of color. Within PSU's teacher preparation ecosystem, she instructs in the Bilingual Teacher Pathway and Licensure in Elementary Education Programs. Her curriculum development spans biliteracy, ESOL methodologies, child development frameworks, and socially responsive pedagogy—directly applying her international teaching experience from Costa Rica, Chile, and U.S. classrooms serving lower socioeconomic households.
Dr. Sun He is an Associate Professor and Assistant Centre Director at the Centre for Research in Child Development (CRCD), National Institute of Education (NIE), Singapore. She holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Groningen (2015) and has prior academic experience at NIE. Her roles include research scientist, associate professor, and leadership in early childhood research initiatives. Education: PhD, Applied Linguistics, University of Groningen (2011–2015) M.A., Linguistics & Applied Linguistics, Beijing Language and Culture University (2008–2011) M.A., Applied Linguistics, Ohio University (2009–2010) B.A., English Language & Literature, Dalian University of Technology (2004–2008) Her research focuses on bilingualism and biliteracy development in multilingual contexts, particularly in early childhood education. Key interests include eBook-mediated biliteracy, the impact of bilingualism on social-emotional well-being, and parental language strategies. She collaborates closely with the Singapore Ministry of Education to conduct large-scale studies on language acquisition. Media outreach highlights include frequent appearances in Channel News Asia and Straits Times , discussing bilingualism’s cognitive benefits and practical strategies for language learning at home. Her work bridges applied linguistics with educational policy, emphasizing accessible research dissemination. Dr. He leads projects at CRCD, focusing on child development and multilingual education. She actively engages in public lectures and conferences, such as the Asian Festival of Children’s Content and Singapore Linguistics Olympiad, promoting bilingualism’s societal value.
Deborah Palmer is a Professor and Chair in Equity, Bilingualism & Biliteracy at the University of Colorado Boulder Faculty Associate with the BUENO Center for Multicultural Education Affiliate Faculty in the Department of Ethnic Studies and CLASP Program Educational Background: Ph.D. in Education (Language, Literacy & Culture, 2004, UC Berkeley) M.A. in Education (Language, Literacy & Culture, 2000, UC Berkeley) B.A. in Anthropology with Humanities Honors (1991, Stanford) California Multiple Subject K-12 Teaching Credential (1992, Mills College) Research Interests focus on Critical analysis of bilingual education policy and politics Equity in dual language bilingual education (DLBE) programs Teacher preparation for linguistically diverse contexts Language ideologies and power dynamics in schools Intersection of language, race, and identity in educational settings Recent Publications include co-edited volumes Critical Consciousness in Dual Language Bilingual Education (2023, Routledge) Gentrification and Bilingual Education (2023, Lexington) Teacher Leadership for Social Change in Bilingual Education (2018, Multilingual Matters) and over 20 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on topics ranging from translanguaging to anti-Black racism in DLBE. Current Research Projects include Caminos hacia el bilingüismo : High school student-led research on multilingual youth advocacy Transformative Inquiry : Teacher action research for CLD Master's students Critical Consciousness in DLBE : Multi-year ethnography on equitable bilingual education Teaching spans Undergraduate & Master's courses on bilingual methods, family engagement, and CLD research Doctoral seminars on qualitative methods and language-power dynamics
Dawn Heston is an Associate Teaching Professor of Spanish and Director of Graduate Studies for the Master of Arts in Language Teaching at the University of Missouri. She is affiliated with the College of Arts and Science and the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, within the Department of Spanish. Education: PhD in Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum (2018); Master of Arts in Spanish with Emphasis in Language Teaching (2003). Research focuses on biliteracy, dual language education, and scaffolding reading strategies. She has conducted classroom observation studies in dual language programs and contributed to Spanish-language textbook development. Her work emphasizes authentic materials, communicative language teaching, and teacher training for novice instructors. Key projects include a 2015 inter-campus online graduate seminar on multilingual education (collaborating with Drs. Flore Zéphir and Angie Zapata) and participation in the U.S. Department of Education’s National Professional Development Grant (2018–2020), which supported Missouri K-12 educators working with English Learners through workshops like “Constructing Scaffolds for Language Learners.” Teaching responsibilities include elementary/intermediate Spanish language courses and graduate-level methodologies such as “Building Language Skills in Multilingual Classrooms.”
Charles Perfetti is a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh's Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences, where he directs the Reading and Language Laboratories. His research examines cognitive and neural foundations of reading across languages, with emphasis on word identification, comprehension, bilingual processing, and neural accommodation to writing systems. His primary research investigates reading comprehension through integrated lexical quality frameworks, neural mechanisms of language processing (using fMRI and ERP), cross-linguistic comparisons of reading acquisition, and second language learning. Recent work explores Chinese-English bilingual processing, neural correlates of text integration, and universal characteristics of reading systems. Publications over the past 15 years demonstrate consistent themes: cognitive architecture of reading, neural plasticity in literacy development, bilingual lexical representation, and methodological innovations in measuring reading processes. Strong emphasis on writing system variation characterizes his comparative research program. Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award, Society for the Scientific Study of Reading (2004) Chancellor's Distinguished Research Award (2000) Elected to FABBS 'In Honor Of' Program (2017) Distinguished Scholar Award, AERA Research in Reading and Literacy SIG (2017) He currently advises graduate students Geoffrey Lizar and Weiqi Wang, and leads NSF-funded projects on reading across writing systems. As Director of the Learning Research & Development Center, he oversees collaborative projects integrating cognitive science with educational applications.
Edward M. Olivos is a Professor in the College of Education at the University of Oregon, with affiliations in Critical and Sociocultural Studies in Education, Curriculum and Teacher Education, Educational Foundations, and Latinx Studies. As Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, he bridges institutional leadership with grassroots educational research. PhD in Education (2003), MA in Spanish (1997), BA in Spanish (1991) from San Diego State University Former elementary school teacher with over a decade of classroom experience in San Diego Principal Investigator and Director of the $3M ELOEL grant for Oregon teacher ESOL endorsements His research focuses on bicultural parent-school relationships , Latino community activism , and development of bilingual educators . He examines systemic barriers to parental engagement and advocates for culturally sustaining educational practices through work like The Power of Parents (2006) and Bicultural Parent Engagement (2011). Article trends reveal consistent emphasis on equity in dual language programs , immigration policy impacts , and community-led educational reforms . His 15 most recent publications span critical pedagogy, sociopolitical development, and policy analysis. Scientific Awards: 2012 Critics Choice Book Award (American Educational Studies Association) for co-edited work Networking with colleagues through grants and program development, Olivos has shaped Oregon’s educational landscape through both policy innovation and culturally responsive frameworks . His work intersects with the University of Oregon’s Latin American Studies program through Latinx community research and language equity advocacy.
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